Toulouse, France

History and culture can be on vivid display in a city's street signs. History: Toulouse may be French speaking (place) today, but in the past it spoke the langue d'oc (plaça). Culture: The region of France south of the Loire River still thinks of itself as culturally distinct from the Paris Basin and uses its ancient language to maintain an identity as Occitania. [2005]

Versailles, France

Not only is Versailles a former royal palace, it is also a town. In fact, in the 1600s it was planned and built from scratch. Louis XIV's father had used the land, which was served by a small village, as a hunting ground. When the Sun King came to power, he asked his architects to build an entirely new town, plus a palace that would be the envy of the world. [2005]

Versailles, France

Louis XIV, the Sun King, held that the gardens at Versailles were just as important as the palace so he commissioned a major renovation in 1661. Why so much attention to the gardens? They were where the Kings of France could demonstrate their mastery of the land, and, by extension, their command of the earth. Florae are so much more servile than people. [2005]

Versailles, France

The Honor Gate serves as the ceremonial entrance to the Chateau de Versailles, residence of France's reigning royals from 1682 until the French Revolution brought down the monarchy in 1789. The Revolution also brought down the original "golden gate," only to be replaced by this one, and then a replica of the original in 2008. [2005]

Paris, France

A full fortnight has passed since the tragic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. Consumed by flames, the spire fell. Thanks to les sapeurs pompiers, the bell towers escaped the same fate. As the world watched in real time, a witness to world history disappeared. Our Lady learned the same lesson we all learn: "for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shall return." [2005]

Strasbourg, France

Pre-EU: few limits on busker shows and other elements of daily life. Post-EU: far too many regulations and standards. One of them probably brought an end to performances like this. Too dangerous! So sayeth the European Union bureaucrats. [1984]

Chartres, France

Gothic. Chartres Cathedral:  Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres. Roman Catholic. Seat of a bishop. Inside is the Sancta Camisa, the sacred robe worn by Mother Mary when her Son was born. [2005]

Paris, France

Journalist Tom Wolfe summarized this landmark's history perfectly: "Napoleon wanted to turn Paris into Rome under the Caesars, only with louder music and more marble. And it was done. His architects gave him the Arc de Triomphe and the Madeleine." Which one is shown here? [2005]

Sainte-Mère-Église, France

Is that a paratrooper hanging from the parapets of Sainte-Mère-Église? Indeed! It's been seventy years since le débarquement en Normandie, but the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions are still honored by a grateful town, one of the first liberated from Nazi occupation. Want to know more? Read or watch The Longest Day. [2005]

Toulouse, France

The eye-catcher here is the dome of the chapel of the Hôpital de La Grave, a hospital situated on the sandy slip slope of a Garonne meander spur. The large hospital complex started in the 12th century during a time when God, not science, did all the healing. [2005]

Honfleur, France

By the early 17th century, Honfleur was one of the cardinal places of the Atlantic World. In fact, the modern history of Canada began right here on Honfleur's waterfront when sunlight, glinting off the wake of many ships, became a twinkle in Champlain's eye. [2005]

Paris, France

European rivers, linked by canals, comprise an international transport network used historically for the purpose of state-building. The River Seine and its tributaries were commandeered by the expanding French state to knit together Île de France as a prelude to even further expansion. Seen here: part of Paris' First Arrondissement. [2005]

Paris, France

Egypt's pharaohs have always been the standard to which all monarchs aspire. Hence, all the potentates of Europe had to have a spire of their own: an Egyptian obelisk. This one was given ("given"?) to King Louis Philippe in 1829. Its hieroglyphics praise the reign of Ramses II ("Louis Philippe"?). [2005]

Paris, France

The courtyard of The Louvre is where the centuries meet, specifically the 17th and the 20th. What's inside the world's largest art museum fills in and fills out the rest of the time line. I. M. Pei's glass pyramid was controversial when proposed, but attendance has more than doubled since it was built. [2005]

Chartres, France

Angels bearing sun dials preceded clocks on cathedrals. Before pocket watches, telling time was a public service, something of concrete value that parishioners received for their tithes. One thing sun dials were not good at: heralding the new year's moment of arrival. Happy New Year! [2005]

Paris, France

One French contribution to the world of better living: the modern chaise lounge. So, it's not surprising to find them in the heart of Paris in the heat of summer. Even the word is theirs, and its translation is surprising: 'Chaise lounge' comes from 'chaise longue,' which means 'long chair,' not lounge chair. [2005]

Paris, France

Unsettling, isn't it? Water is the symbol of life and Godliness. Water spouting from a serpent's mouth becomes venom, the symbol of death and devilish evil. [2005]

Paris, France

Navigable rivers and interfluvial canals make of Europe a spiderweb of filaments that facilitate internal and international commerce. Along the Seine in the heart of Paris, the working city comes shoulder-to-shoulder with the city of spectacle as a canal boat glides past Île de la Cité. [2005]

Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower was built to brag about the new construction technologies that pointed to the high-rise future of cities in the 1880s. It was meant to be a temporary addition to the landscape, but it became so popular it survived and is now the symbol of not only Paris, but all of France, of not only France, but all of Europe. [2005]

Paris, France

"Annual closing from the 7th of August to the 31st of August inclusive. Thank you  and see you later." Every August, signs like this are posted on shop doors all over France. The French seem to understand that the economy serves them; Americans seem to think their purpose is to serve the economy. [2005]